Integrated circuit package system with package substrate having corner contacts

ABSTRACT

A integrated circuit package system includes: forming a package substrate with a top substrate side and a bottom substrate side; forming a corner contact in a first corner of the bottom substrate side, the corner contact extending to a substrate edge of the package substrate; mounting an integrated circuit device over the top substrate side; connecting an electrical interconnect between the integrated circuit device and the top substrate side; and forming a package encapsulation over the top substrate side, the integrated circuit device, and the electrical interconnect.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit packagesystem and more particularly to area array package systems havingimproved solder joint reliability and environmental stresses.

BACKGROUND ART

Integrated circuit packaging technology continues to adjust to everincreasing complexity and density of integrated circuit devices mountedon a single circuit board or substrate. The new packaging designs aremore compact in form factors, such as the physical size and shape of anintegrated circuit, and providing a significant increase in overallintegrated circuit density. However, integrated circuit densitycontinues to be limited by the “real estate” available for mountingindividual integrated circuits on a substrate. Even larger form factorsystems, such as personal computers, compute servers, and storageservers, need more integrated circuits in the same or smaller “realestate”. Particularly acute, the needs for portable personalelectronics, such as cell phones, digital cameras, music players,personal digital assistants, and location-based devices, have furtherdriven the need for integrated circuit density.

This increased integrated circuit density has led to increased use ofBall Grid Array (BGA) packages and other such area array packages toprovide the needed high density input/output external contact pads(I/Os). A typical area array package consist of an integrated circuitdevice mounted on a substrate, the substrate provides mechanical supportfor the individual integrated circuits and one or more layers ofinterconnect lines that enable the integrated circuits to beelectrically connected to the I/O pads formed as an array of electricalcontacts on the bottom surface of the substrate for connectivity tosurrounding circuitry. A metal corner pad in one corner is typicallyused to identify the location of pin 1 of the array of I/O pads.

With the increasing use and expansion in array sizes of the BGAs, testshave shown that these area array packages are more commonly failing atthe corner solder connections of these structures. The corner solderjoints are susceptible to open joint failure due to environmentalconditions, such as impact, bending, vibration, and thermal fatiguefailure due to thermal-cycling conditions. A typical solution has beento increase the size of the corner solder ball joints. However, that mayresult in a corner structure larger than the rest of the solder balls inthe array. Another solution is to increase the number of solder balls atthe corner connections, but this leads to a risk of fusing these cornersolder balls to adjacent solder balls impacting signal integrity.

Thus, a need still remains for an integrated circuit package systemproviding low cost manufacturing, improved yield, and thinner height forthe integrated circuits. In view of the ever-increasing need to savecosts and improve efficiencies, it is more and more critical thatanswers be found to these problems.

Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developmentshave not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to theseproblems have long eluded those skilled in the art.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an integrated circuit package systemincluding: forming a package substrate with a top substrate side and abottom substrate side; forming a corner contact in a first corner of thebottom substrate side, the corner contact extending to a substrate edgeof the package substrate; mounting an integrated circuit device over thetop substrate side; connecting an electrical interconnect between theintegrated circuit device and the top substrate side; and forming apackage encapsulation over the top substrate side, the integratedcircuit device, and the electrical interconnect.

Certain embodiments of the invention have other aspects in addition toor in place of those mentioned or obvious from the above. The aspectswill become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of thefollowing detailed description when taken with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of an integrated circuit package system in afirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the integrated circuit packagesystem of FIG. 1 along line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an integrated circuit package system in asecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an integrated circuit board system in anapplication with the integrated circuit package system of FIG. 1 in athird embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the integrated circuit board systemalong 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the integrated circuit packagesystem structure in a ball attachment phase;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the board substrate structure in aboard preparation phase;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the integrated circuit board systemduring the mounting phase; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of an integrated circuit package system formanufacture of the integrated circuit package system in an embodiment ofthe present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enablethose skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments would be evident based on the presentdisclosure, and that system, process, or mechanical changes may be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

In the following description, numerous specific details are given toprovide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will beapparent that the invention may be practiced without these specificdetails. In order to avoid obscuring the present invention, somewell-known circuits, system configurations, and process steps are notdisclosed in detail. Likewise, the drawings showing embodiments of thesystem are semi-diagrammatic and not to scale and, particularly, some ofthe dimensions are for the clarity of presentation and are shown greatlyexaggerated in the drawing FIGs. Generally, the invention can beoperated in any orientation.

In addition, where multiple embodiments are disclosed and describedhaving some features in common, for clarity and ease of illustration,description, and comprehension thereof, similar and like features one toanother will ordinarily be described with like reference numerals. Theembodiments have been numbered first embodiment, second embodiment, etc.as a matter of descriptive convenience and are not intended to have anyother significance or provide limitations for the present invention.

For expository purposes, the term “horizontal” as used herein is definedas a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the integrated circuit,regardless of its orientation. The term “vertical” refers to a directionperpendicular to the horizontal as just defined. Terms, such as “above”,“below”, “bottom”, “top”, “side” (as in “sidewall”), “higher”, “lower”,“upper”, “over”, and “under”, are defined with respect to the horizontalplane. The term “on” means there is direct contact among elements. Theterm “processing” as used herein includes deposition of material,patterning, exposure, development, etching, cleaning, molding, and/orremoval of the material or as required in forming a described structure.The term “system” as used herein means and refers to the method and tothe apparatus of the present invention in accordance with the context inwhich the term is used.

Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown a bottom view of an integratedcircuit package system 100 in a first embodiment of the presentinvention. The bottom view depicts a package substrate 102, such as alaminate structure, having external contacts 104 distributed in an arrayconfiguration on the package substrate 102.

A corner contact 106 is provided at each corner 108 of the packagesubstrate 102, with an identification contact 110 formed in a firstcorner 112 of the package substrate 102 for identifying a pin 1 location114 for the array of the external contacts 104. The identificationcontact 110 and each of the corner contact 106 comprise a conductivematerial such as Au, Cu, combinations thereof, or other such metallicmaterial. Each of the corner contact 106 and the identification contact110 are formed extending to at least a substrate edge 116 of the packagesubstrate 102. Preferably, the identification contact 110 and each ofthe corner contact 106 each comprise a geometric configuration, such asa triangle, square, rectangle, combinations thereof, or otherconfigurations, of an equivalent geometric area to avoid misalignmentissue from different resultant surface tensions.

The geometric configuration of the identification contact 110 preferablydiffers from the geometric configuration of the corner contact 106 tofacilitate the differentiation of the pin 1 location 114. It isunderstood that the geometric sizes and shapes of squares and trianglesshown herein are merely examples, and the size and shape of theidentification contact 110 and the corner contact 106 are not intendedto be limited to the sizes and shapes shown. For illustrative purposes,the integrated circuit package system 100 is shown with the externalcontacts 104 in an evenly distributed array, although it is alsounderstood that the integrated circuit package system 100 may have theexternal contacts 104 in a different or non-evenly distributedconfiguration over the package substrate 102.

Referring now to FIG. 2, therein is shown a cross-sectional view of theintegrated circuit package system 100 along the diagonal line 2-2 ofFIG. 1. The cross-sectional view depicts the integrated circuit packagesystem 100 having an integrated circuit device 218, such as anintegrated circuit die, a flip chip or a packaged integrated circuitdevice, mounted over a top substrate side 220 of the package substrate102 with an adhesive 222, such as a die-attach adhesive. On a bottomsubstrate side 226 of the package substrate 102, the identificationcontact 110 is at the first corner 112 and the corner contact 106 is atthe corner 108 diagonally opposing the first corner 112, with theexternal contacts 104 distributed on the bottom substrate side 226,between the identification contact 110 and the corner contact 106. Anelectrical interconnect 224, such as bond wire or ribbon bond,electrically connects the integrated circuit device 218 to the topsubstrate side 220.

A package encapsulation 228 is formed covering the top substrate side220, the electrical interconnect, and the integrated circuit device 218.Optionally, solder balls (not shown) may be attached to the bottomsubstrate side 226, such as under the identification contact 110, thecorner contact 106, and the external contacts 104 to facilitateconnection to the next system level (not shown), such as a printedcircuit board or another integrated circuit package system.

For illustrative purposes, the integrated circuit device 218 is shown asa wire bond integrated circuit, although it is understood that theintegrated circuit device 218 may be of a different type of integratedcircuits. For example, the integrated circuit device 218 may be anintegrated circuit die, a packaged integrated circuit device, a flipchip, or a combination thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is shown a bottom view of an integratedcircuit package system 300 in a second embodiment of the presentinvention. The integrated circuit package system 300 includes structuralsimilarities to the integrated circuit package system 100 of FIG. 1. Thebottom view depicts a package substrate 302, such as a laminatestructure, having external contacts 304 distributed in an arrayconfiguration on the package substrate 302.

A corner contact 306 is provided at each corner 308 of the packagesubstrate 302, with an identification contact 310 formed in a firstcorner 312 of the package substrate 302 and a second corner 328 of thepackage substrate 302 adjacent to the first corner 312. Theidentification contact 310 at the first corner 312 and at the secondcorner 328 together identify a pin 1 location 314 for the array of theexternal contacts 304. The identification contact 310 and the cornercontact 306 each comprises a conductive material such as Au, Cu,combinations thereof, or other such metallic material. The cornercontact 306 and the identification contact 310 are each formed extendingto at least a substrate edge 316 of the package substrate 302.Preferably, the identification contact 310 and the corner contact 306each comprise a geometric configuration, such as a triangle, square,rectangle, combinations thereof, or other configurations, of anequivalent geometric area to avoid misalignment issue from differentresultant surface tensions.

The geometric configuration of the identification contact 310 preferablydiffers from the geometric configuration of the corner contact 306 tofacilitate the differentiation of the pin 1 location 314. It isunderstood that the geometric sizes and shapes of squares and trianglesshown herein are merely examples, and the size and shape of theidentification contact 310 and the corner contact 306 are not intendedto be limited to the sizes and shapes shown.

For illustrative purposes, the integrated circuit package system 300 isshown with the external contacts 304 in an evenly distributed array,although it is also understood that the integrated circuit packagesystem 300 may have the external contacts 304 in a different ornon-evenly distributed configuration over the package substrate 302. Ithas been discovered that a unique pair of identification contacts alonga substrate edge provides a unique pattern to facilitate patternrecognition of pin 1 location by a pattern recognition system.

Referring now to FIG. 4, therein is shown a top view of an integratedcircuit board system 400 in an application with the integrated circuitpackage system 100 of FIG. 1 in a third embodiment of the presentinvention. The integrated circuit board system 400 may be formed withother embodiments of the present inventions, such as the integratedcircuit package system 300 of FIG. 3. The top view depicts theintegrated circuit package system 100 mounted over a board substrate402, such as a laminate of a printed circuit board.

Referring now to FIG. 5, therein is shown a cross-sectional view of theintegrated circuit board system 400 along the diagonal line 5-5 of FIG.4. The integrated circuit package system 100 is mounted over the boardsubstrate 402. The board substrate 402 includes board contacts 502 thatconnect to the external contacts 104 and board corner contacts 506 thatconnect to the identification contact 110 and the corner contact 106.The board contacts 502 and the board corner contacts 506 each comprisesconductive material such as Au, Cu, combinations thereof, or other suchmetallic material. Non-corner solder balls 504 connect between the boardcontacts 502 and the external contacts 104. Corner solder balls 508connect between the board corner contacts 506 and the identificationcontact 110 and the corner contact 106.

It has been discovered that the present invention provides reinforcementjoints at the corners of the bottom substrate side by having the cornercontact and the identification contact extending to a substrate edge ofthe package substrate. Having the corner contact and the identificationcontact at a substrate edge away from the inner external contacts avoidssolder ball of the corner contact fusing with the solder ball of theexternal contacts in forming reinforcement joints.

It has also been discovered that the corner contact and theidentification contact may serve as grounding pads such as by connectingthe corner contact or the identification contact to a ground potentialon the board substrate. It has further been discovered that having anidentification contact extending to a substrate edge on a bottomsubstrate side provides a unique pattern to facilitate patternrecognition of pin 1 location by a pattern recognition system.

Moreover, providing corner contacts extending to the edge of the bottomsubstrate side of the package substrate provide additional reinforcementof solder joints at the corners, without sacrificing the existing cornerball layout.

Referring now to FIG. 6, therein is shown a cross-sectional view of theintegrated circuit package system 100 of FIG. 5 in an externalinterconnect attachment phase. Preferably, external interconnects 604such as solder bumps are first attached to the bottom substrate side 226under the external contacts 104 prior to a board mounting phase.

Referring now to FIG. 7, therein is shown a cross-sectional view of theboard substrate 402 of FIG. 5 in a board preparation phase. A conductivedeposit 702, such as solder paste, epoxy glue, thermal interfacematerial, or polymeric material, is formed over the board cornercontacts 506, such as by a dispensing or a screen printing method, priorto a later mounting phase to connect the identification contact 110 ofFIG. 5 and the corner contact 106 of FIG. 5 to the board corner contacts506. A conductive layer 708, such as solder paste is formed over theboard contacts 502, such as by a dispensing or a screen printing method,prior to a later mounting phase to connect the external contacts 104 ofFIG. 5 to the board contacts 502.

Referring now to FIG. 8, therein is shown a cross-sectional view of theintegrated circuit board system 400 of FIG. 5 during the mounting phaseof the integrated circuit package system 100. The integrated circuitpackage system 100 is mounted over the board substrate 402 such as bysolder reflow process to connect the external interconnects 604 of FIG.6 to the board contacts 502 and the board corner contacts 506. Thecorner solder balls 508 at the board corner contacts 506 are formed fromthe conductive deposit 702 of FIG. 7 connecting the identificationcontact 110 and the corner contact 106 to the board substrate 402. Thenon-corner solder balls 504 such as from the external interconnects 604of FIG. 6 fused to the conductive layer 708 of FIG. 7 connect theexternal contacts 104 to the board contacts 502.

Referring now to FIG. 9, therein is shown a flow chart of an integratedcircuit package system 900 for manufacture of the integrated circuitpackage system in an embodiment of the present invention. The system 900includes forming a package substrate with a top substrate side and abottom substrate side in a block 902; forming a corner contact in afirst corner of the bottom substrate side, the corner contact extendingto a substrate edge of the package substrate in a block 904; mounting anintegrated circuit device over the top substrate side in a block 906;

connecting an electrical interconnect between the integrated circuitdevice and the top substrate side in a block 908; and forming a packageencapsulation over the top substrate side, the integrated circuitdevice, and the electrical interconnect in a block 910.

Yet other important aspects of the embodiments include that it valuablysupports and services the historical trend of reducing costs,simplifying systems, and increasing performance.

These and other valuable aspects of the embodiments consequently furtherthe state of the technology to at least the next level.

Thus, it has been discovered that the integrated circuit package systemof the present invention furnishes important and heretofore unknown andunavailable solutions, capabilities, and functional aspects forimproving reliability in systems. The resulting processes andconfigurations are straightforward, cost-effective, uncomplicated,highly versatile, and effective, can be implemented by adapting knowntechnologies, and are thus readily suited for efficiently andeconomically manufacturing integrated circuit package devices.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specificbest mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications,and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light ofthe aforegoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace allsuch alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within thescope of the included claims. All matters hithertofore set forth hereinor shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in anillustrative and non-limiting sense.

1. An integrated circuit package system comprising: forming a packagesubstrate with a top substrate side and a bottom substrate side; forminga corner contact in a first corner of the bottom substrate side, thecorner contact extending to a substrate edge of the package substrate;mounting an integrated circuit device over the top substrate side;connecting an electrical interconnect between the integrated circuitdevice and the top substrate side; and forming a package encapsulationover the top substrate side, the integrated circuit device, and theelectrical interconnect.
 2. The system as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising forming an identification contact in a second corner of thebottom substrate side, the identification contact and the corner contacthaving different geometric configurations.
 3. The system as claimed inclaim 1 further comprising forming an identification contact in a secondcorner of the bottom substrate side, the identification contact and thecorner contact having an equivalent geometric area.
 4. The system asclaimed in claim 1 further comprising forming a first identificationcontact in a second corner of the package substrate and a secondidentification contact in a third corner of the package substrate,adjacent to the second corner.
 5. The system as claimed in claim 1further comprising: providing a board substrate having a board cornercontact; and mounting the package substrate over the board substratewith the corner contact over the board corner contact.
 6. An integratedcircuit package system comprising: forming a package substrate with atop substrate side and a bottom substrate side, the bottom substrateside having a first corner and a second corner; forming a corner contactin the first corner and an identification contact in the second corner,the corner contact and the identification contact each extending to asubstrate edge of the package substrate; mounting an integrated circuitdevice over the top substrate side; connecting an electricalinterconnect between the integrated circuit device and the top substrateside; and forming a package encapsulation over the top substrate side,the integrated circuit device, and the electrical interconnect.
 7. Thesystem as claimed in claim 6 further comprising forming a corner solderball under the corner contact.
 8. The system as claimed in claim 6further comprising: forming a corner solder ball under the cornercontact; and mounting to a board substrate, the board substrate having aboard corner contact with the corner solder ball connecting between thecorner contact and the board corner contact.
 9. The system as claimed inclaim 6 wherein: forming the corner contact and the identificationcontact includes: forming the identification contact and the cornercontact having different geometric configurations; and furthercomprising: forming a board substrate having a board corner contact; andmounting the corner contact over the board corner contact.
 10. Thesystem as claimed in claim 6 wherein: forming the corner contact and theidentification contact includes: forming the identification contact andthe corner contact having an equivalent geometric area; and furthercomprising: forming a board substrate having a board corner contact; andmounting the corner contact over the board corner contact.
 11. Anintegrated circuit package system comprising: a package substrate with atop substrate side and a bottom substrate side; a corner contact in afirst corner of the bottom substrate side, the corner contact extendingto a substrate edge of the package substrate; an integrated circuitdevice over the top substrate side; an electrical interconnect betweenthe integrated circuit device and the top substrate side; and a packageencapsulation over the top substrate side, the integrated circuitdevice, and the electrical interconnect.
 12. The system as claimed inclaim 11 further comprising an identification contact in a second cornerof the bottom substrate side, the identification contact and the cornercontact having different geometric configurations.
 13. The system asclaimed in claim 11 further comprising an identification contact in asecond corner of the bottom substrate side, the identification and thecorner contact having an equivalent geometric area.
 14. The system asclaimed in claim 11 further comprising a first identification contact ina second corner of the package substrate and a second identificationcontact in a third corner of the package substrate, adjacent to thesecond corner.
 15. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprisinga board substrate having a board corner contact with the corner contactmounted over the board corner contact.
 16. The system as claimed inclaim 11 further comprising an identification contact in a second cornerof the bottom substrate side, the identification contact extending tothe substrate edge of the package substrate.
 17. The system as claimedin claim 16 further comprising a corner solder ball between the bottomsubstrate side and the board substrate.
 18. The system as claimed inclaim 16 further comprising: a corner solder ball formed under thecorner contact; and a board substrate, the board substrate having aboard corner contact with the corner solder ball connecting between thecorner contact and the board corner contact.
 19. The system as claimedin claim 16 wherein: the corner contact and the identification contactincludes: the identification contact and the corner contact havingdifferent geometric configurations; and further comprising: a boardsubstrate having a board corner contact with the corner contact mountedover the board corner contact.
 20. The system as claimed in claim 16wherein: the corner contact and the identification contact includes: theidentification contact and the corner contact having an equivalentgeometric area; and further comprising: a board substrate having a boardcorner contact with the corner contact mounted over the board cornercontact.